Kellogg's, CARQUEST Extend with Hendrick Motorsports

By HendrickMotorsports.com

Kellogg's, CARQUEST Extend with Hendrick Motorsports

CONCORD, N.C. (May 26, 2006) – Kellogg Co. and CARQUEST Auto Parts have announced a unique three-year agreement with Hendrick Motorsports that secures the two companies as co-primary sponsors of the No. 5 Chevrolets driven by Kyle Busch in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“I take a lot of pride in continuing our relationships with Kellogg’s and CARQUEST,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “They are fantastic, longtime partners that we’re able to pair with one of the most promising young teams in our sport. It’s truly an exciting program and an incredible opportunity for all of us.”
The relationship between Kellogg and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team is one of the most enduring in NASCAR. Kellogg debuted as primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevys in 1994, won the 1996 Cup championship with veteran Terry Labonte and continued its support when Busch took the wheel full-time in 2005.
“Kellogg Company is proud of its 12-year relationship with Hendrick Motorsports,” said Jeff Montie, president of Kellogg North America. “We look forward to our new partnership with CARQUEST and know that Kyle will continue to drive the No. 5 Chevy into Victory Lane for many years to come. We’re excited to continue our association with the sport of NASCAR and its incredible fans.”
In 2002, CARQUEST Auto Parts joined Hendrick Motorsports as an associate sponsor of Chevrolets driven by Ricky Hendrick in the NASCAR Busch Series. The relationship carried over to the following season, resulting in a Busch Series championship with driver Brian Vickers, and has since transitioned into the NEXTEL Cup Series. CARQUEST backed Busch’s six-race NEXTEL Cup schedule in 2004 and joined the No. 5 team as an associate sponsor in 2005.
“CARQUEST store owners and employees across the U.S., Canada and Mexico share in the excitement of partnering with Kellogg to sponsor this championship-caliber team,” said Ray Birden, senior vice president of marketing for CARQUEST. “We are thrilled to showcase the talent of 2005 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch to our customers and NASCAR fans. Kellogg and Hendrick Motorsports have a long tradition of championship-caliber teams and we are excited to be a part of this for years to come.”
Busch, 21, earned two victories and top rookie honors in the NEXTEL Cup Series last season. Under the guidance of second-year crew chief Alan Gustafson, 30, the No. 5 team is currently seventh in the championship standings with six top-10 finishes, three top-fives and one pole position after 11 races in 2006.
“Even before joining Hendrick Motorsports, I was a customer of Kellogg and CARQUEST,” said Busch, who will pilot the No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolets. “It’s a neat opportunity to be associated with two companies that I’ve grown up with and believed in my whole life. I couldn’t imagine a better fit.”
Kicking off in 2007, the co-primary platform is a unique approach to NASCAR team branding. Aside from rotating Kellogg and CARQUEST logo placements on the vehicle’s hood and quarter-panels, the base blue, yellow and red paint scheme of the No. 5 Chevrolets will remain unchanged throughout the racing season, allowing sponsor-partners to build broader equity in the team itself.
Different from a “paint-out,” where teams circulate various brand-specific car designs on a limited-event basis, the co-primary strategy allots premium logo locations to a pair of brands while providing the NASCAR audience a consistent visual identity.
“This ‘co-primary’ approach delivers extra value to each sponsor because both are represented in a significant way at each race,” said Patrick Perkins, Hendrick Motorsports’ director of marketing. “By maintaining a standard design throughout the entire season, fans can more easily follow and connect with the team.”
ABOUT KELLOGG COMPANY:
With 2005 sales in excess of $10 billion, Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) is the world’s leading producer of cereal and a leading producer of convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, frozen waffles, meat alternatives, piecrusts and ice-cream cones. The company’s brands include Kellogg’s, Keebler, Pop-Tarts, Eggo, Cheez-It, Nutri-Grain, Rice Krispies, Murray, Austin, Morningstar Farms, Famous Amos, Carr’s, Plantation, Ready Crust and Kashi. Kellogg products are manufactured in 17 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information, visit Kellogg’s web site at www.kelloggcompany.com.
ABOUT CARQUEST AUTO PARTS:
CARQUEST Auto Parts is committed to serving our customers through more than 3,400 Auto parts stores and 49 distribution centers across North America. It is the premier supplier of replacement parts, accessories, supplies and equipment for virtually all makes of domestic and import automobiles, as well as light and heavy-duty trucks, off-road equipment, buses, recreational vehicles and agricultural equipment. For the nearest CARQUEST Auto Parts Store location, visit www.CARQUEST.com or call 1-800-492-PART.
ABOUT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS:
Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned nine championships in NASCAR’s top three divisions and 143 victories in the sanctioning body’s premier series, the NEXTEL Cup. The organization currently fields Chevrolet race cars on the Cup and Busch Series circuits with drivers Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers, Terry Labonte and Jimmie Johnson. Headquartered in Concord, N.C., the company employs 500 people and proudly services the sponsorships of more than 30 of the world’s most respected brands. Please visit www.HendrickMotorsports.com for more information.